For Komen, Walks Will Be Fundraising Test

Several thousand people participated in the Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure in Tyler, Texas, in 2007. Some walkers for this year's races, including the 3-Day walk, are worried that they might have trouble raising money because of the Planned Parenthood controversy.

Scott M. Lieberman
/ AP

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Originally published on February 14, 2012 11:30 am

Over the weekend, the Susan G. Komen foundation held meetings in 15 cities around the country for people who have registered for this summer's 3-Day walks.

The annual events are key fundraisers for the breast cancer research and treatment organization. But after the recent controversy over Komen's grants to Planned Parenthood, some walkers are worried it might be harder to get donations this year.

On Saturday morning, about two dozen women and a few men braved wintry weather to show up at the public library in Wakefield, Mass., just north of Boston. Most of them were wearing something pink.

Since the event started nine years ago, its participants have raised more than $600 million nationwide for Komen's central cause: curing breast cancer.

"I want you to leave here today saying yes," Spence says. "Yes, I can raise $2,300. Yes, I can walk 60 miles in three days, and yes, I can sleep in a tent."

Spence says some of her veteran walkers are worried about meeting their fundraising goals this year. So the organization sent them a letter with talking points in case potential donors have questions about the Planned Parenthood controversy. The letter says Komen is "committed to ensuring that all women, regardless of race, social status, political or religious beliefs, have equal access to breast health services."

When the issue first made headlines, breast cancer survivor Dana Fagerquist was one of those who worried about a backlash.

"I had just, just, signed up to walk again, and I thought, 'I'm never going to get support,' " she says. Fagerquist is focusing on donors who know about her personal battle with the disease. She says her feelings for Komen haven't changed.

"This isn't about politics for me. It's about finding a cure for something that's affecting 1 in 8 women, including myself," Fagerquist says. "And I have three daughters to worry about."

"I started walking in 2000," says Pat Greeley, another Boston walker. "I lost my sister four years ago, and I promised her I would keep fighting, keep fighting, because the last thing she said is, 'This has got to stop.' "

Greeley says Komen's work kept her sister alive for years after her diagnosis. She's walking this year even though she thinks the organization's recent actions were political, and a mistake.

Other longtime Komen supporters are more conflicted. Eileen Cummings says she's raised $45,000 for the foundation in seven years. Last week she thought about cutting ties.

"I'm back with hesitation," Cummings says. "I'm watching to see where it goes from here, but I can't walk away from these women who have taught me that cancer's not a death sentence."

Ultimately, Cummings agreed with the other walkers at the Wakefield event, including a few newcomers, that all the political back and forth is beside the point: There's still no cure for breast cancer. And that was the main theme of their coach Bridget Spence's presentation.

"We live in a world with breast cancer," Spence says. "And what does that mean? That means in the hour and a half that you spend with me today, 45 people are going to be diagnosed — 45 people, in an hour and a half."

But, Spence says, when the disease is caught early, the five-year survival rate is now 98 percent — up from 74 percent 30 years ago. And that's progress every Komen walker has helped pay for.

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Transcript

ROBERT SIEGEL, HOST:

Over the weekend, the Susan G. Komen Foundation held meetings in more than a dozen communities. The purpose was to talk with people who have registered for the foundation's three-day walks this year. The annual walks are key fundraisers for the breast cancer research and treatment organization, but the recent controversy over Komen's grants to Planned Parenthood has raised concerns.

As Shannon Mullen reports, some walkers are worried that it might be harder to get donations.

SHANNON MULLEN, BYLINE: On Saturday morning, about two dozen women and a few men braved wintry weather to show up at the public library in Wakefield, Massachusetts, just north of Boston. Most of them were wearing something pink.

MULLEN: Bridget Spence is a Boston coach for the Susan G. Komen Foundation's annual three-day walk. Since the event started nine years ago, its participants have raised more than $600 million nationwide for Komen's central cause, curing breast cancer.

SPENCE: I want you to leave here today saying, yes. Yes. I can raise $2,300. Yes. I can walk 60 miles in three days. And yes, I can sleep in a tent.

(SOUNDBITE OF LAUGHTER)

MULLEN: Spence says some of her veteran walkers are worried about meeting their fundraising goals this year, so the organization sent them a letter with talking points in case potential donors have questions about the Planned Parenthood controversy. It says Komen is, quote, "committed to ensuring that all women, regardless of race, social status, political or religious beliefs, have equal access to breast health services."

When the issue first made headlines, breast cancer survivor Dana Fagerquist was one of those who worried about backlash.

DANA FAGERQUIST: I had just - just - signed up to walk again and I thought, I'm never going to get support.

MULLEN: Fagerquist is focusing on donors who know about her personal battle with the disease and she says her feelings for Komen haven't changed.

FAGERQUIST: This isn't about politics for me. It's about finding a cure for something that's affecting one in eight women, including myself. And I have three daughters to worry about.

PAT GREELEY: My name is Pat Greeley. I started walking in 2000. I lost my sister four years ago. I promised her I would keep fighting - keep fighting because the last thing she said is, this has got to stop.

MULLEN: Greeley says Komen's work kept her sister alive for years after her diagnosis, so Greeley's walking this year, even though she thinks the foundation's recent actions were political and a mistake.

Other longtime Komen supporters are more conflicted. Eileen Cummings says she's raised $45,000 for the foundation in seven years. Last week, she thought about cutting ties.

EILEEN CUMMINGS: I'm back with hesitation. I'm watching to see where it goes from here, but I can't walk away from these women who have taught me that cancer is not a death sentence.

MULLEN: Ultimately, Cummings agreed with the other walkers at the Wakefield event, including a few newcomers, that all the political back-and-forth is beside the point. There's still no cure for breast cancer.

And that was the main theme of their coach Bridget Spence's presentation.

SPENCE: We live in a world with breast cancer. That means, in the hour and a half that you spend with me today, 45 people are going to be diagnosed. Forty-five people in an hour and a half.

MULLEN: But Spence also told the group, when the disease is caught early, the five-year survival rate is now 98 percent, up from 74 percent 30 years ago. And she said that's progress every Komen walker has helped pay for.